The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 622

Having such a bright, accomplished daughter-in-law was something to be proud of—not to mention the chance for beautiful, intelligent grandchildren in the future. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to see their family’s bloodline improve with the next generation?

All thanks to Claire, Octavia suddenly found herself once more a favorite among the city’s wealthy matrons—something she hadn’t expected at all. Invitations poured in as society wives angled for connection; perhaps Octavia would let them introduce their sons to Claire, or at least drop them a good word.

But Octavia brushed off their hints with practiced tact, insisting that Claire was an independent woman now and made her own choices. The ladies weren’t fooled; many suspected she was only playing coy, holding out for a better offer. After all, shouldn’t an adoptive mother still have the final say about her daughter? Then again, with a background like Octavia’s, she had every right to be selective. Let her act high and mighty, they thought—she could afford to.

For every polite refusal, more invitations followed: lunches, coffee dates, shopping trips, spa appointments. Even Octavia couldn’t turn them all down, and eventually felt obliged to accept a few.

It was in the living room that Octavia fielded these calls. Cindy had gone upstairs, but when she heard her mother on the phone again, she crept back to the stairwell, pausing on the landing to listen in.

Realizing these society women were calling about Claire—always about Claire—Cindy’s hands balled into tight, trembling fists, her knuckles turning white with suppressed rage.

The sudden favor and attention lavished on Claire made something twist inside her, making her wonder if coming back to the James family had been a mistake from the start.

Just then, her phone buzzed—Fallon was calling.

Cindy saw the name flash on the screen and immediately rejected the call, terrified Octavia might overhear. Hurriedly, she retreated to her bedroom.

Octavia heard a faint vibration and looked up, but since Cindy was nowhere in sight, she dismissed it. She knew her daughter was oversensitive, and worried that her conversations with the other women might further upset Cindy.

What Octavia didn’t know was that Cindy was just as anxious—not that her mother would overhear, but that a call from Fallon might displease Octavia.

The phone buzzed again. This time, Cindy picked up, but the familiar “godmother” greeting caught in her throat. She couldn’t bring herself to say it, unsure of how to even speak to Fallon now—there was a wall between them that hadn’t been there before.

She’d always been happy to hear from Fallon. Now, she just felt lost.

“Cindy, your college entrance exam scores are out. How did it go?” Fallon asked gently.

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